places to visit North of Birmingham

[dizzymac]

We are meeting up with some friends in a couple of weeks. We are scattered around the country, Birmingham, Manchester, Warwick. We try to meet up once a year for a good day out with the children ( ages 6mths-7 years). In the past we've been to Trentham Gardens and Warwick Castle. Tretham would be fine again but I wondered if anybody had any good suggestions.
We'll be wanting to eat out there so nice cafe is a must, as is something for the children to do whilst we catch up.

I recently suggested this place as a good place for us to meet up with DB, he is in Manc we are in Wolverhampton
Haven't actually been ourselves yet so can't recommend, but I fancy it

Chatsworth?

Crich Tramway Museum

There is a canal place around Crich as well, can't remember details though

And if you go to Crich you could take in the Matlock Illuminations at the same time

Oh, the canal isn't Crich, it's Crick, which is SE of Rugby so no good to you

They look lovely Ponders, though maybe a bit far from Manchester. I used to live in Sheffield and loved Chatsworth

Chatsworth is nearer to Manc than to Brum! And so is Matlock in fact, but pretty much midway. (Or did you mean too far from Warwick?)

No, I meant Manchester. From where we are it will take a good 2.5 hours each way.

According to google Manc-Chatsworth is 1h 15mins! From Brum, 1h 36 mins; from Warwick 1h 47 mins. (Crich similar but the other way round)

Perfect, no?

wow!
That must be a route we've not done.
That does sound a possibilty then. Thanks

Ahem. My special subject is the cultural desert between Manc and Birm (as I live there!)

So. Some ideas:

Stokesay Castle, Shropshire
You already have Trentham
Rudyard Lake
Buxton
Beeston Castle
Crewe Hall Hotel
Nantwich

Will think some more...

Well I'm in Lancs way N of Manc; I drove to the far side of the Peak District last summer & even with endless roadworks on the road from Stockport to Buxton it only took me about 2½ hrs - & a very beautiful drive it is too

(The google route is via Chapel-en-le-Frith on the A6, then E on the A623 avoiding both Buxton & Bakewell)

VW I will look into those. Thanks.